Kanawa: a night on a small island

A small round island with a jetty, a hill and a reef that starts right under your feet, close enough to town for a quick escape and quiet enough for a night under the stars.

Area

Islands & reefs

Start from

Labuan Bajo

Distance

about 15 km by boat

Time needed

1–2 days

Best season

April – November

Difficulty

Easy

Transport

Boat from Labuan Bajo

Tickets & rules

Usually a small landing fee; check locally

Why go

Kanawa is what you imagine when someone says tropical island: a ring of white sand, a grassy hill in the middle, some palms, a wooden jetty and water so clear that you can see starfish from the boards. It lies outside the national park, about an hour by boat from Labuan Bajo, and has a small, simple resort with bungalows on the beach.

Snorkelling here is easy and rewarding. Swim off the jetty and you are over a sloping reef with soft corals, giant clams, schools of glassfish, triggerfish and turtles that feed on the seagrass. The best section is along the northern side, but check conditions with the staff first.

Staying a night changes everything. After the day boats leave in the afternoon, the island goes quiet. You climb the hill for sunset, eat dinner on the sand, and fall asleep to waves and generators. In the morning, snorkel before breakfast, when the light is low and the fish are busy.

The story

The small islands around Labuan Bajo, such as Kanawa, Seraya and Bidadari, sit just outside the park boundary. In the early days of tourism a few of them were leased for simple resorts, with electricity from generators and fresh water brought in by boat. Kanawa has been one of these for years.

The reefs around the islands were damaged in the past by blast fishing, which was widespread across eastern Indonesia in the late twentieth century. Some patches still show the rubble, but many areas have recovered remarkably, helped by local reef restoration projects and the decline of bombing.

Life on a small island has its rhythms: the supply boat arriving in the morning, staff chatting in Manggarai and Bugis, the generator turning off late at night. Guests who stay a few days start to feel part of it, which is the best kind of travel.

Getting there

The resort runs a boat from Labuan Bajo once or twice a day for overnight guests; day visitors usually come on island-hopping trips. You can also charter a small boat from the harbour.

The ride takes roughly one hour depending on the boat and the sea.

A suggested plan

1. MorningBoat from Labuan Bajo, check in and swim off the jetty.
2. MiddayLunch in the shade and a nap through the heat.
3. Late afternoonSnorkel the northern reef as the day boats leave.
4. SunsetClimb the hill for views back towards Flores and the park.
5. Next morningEarly snorkel, breakfast, and a boat back to town.

Where to stay

Rooms on Kanawa are simple and limited, so book ahead in the dry season. Bring what you need: there are no shops on the island, and electricity and fresh water can be limited.

Good to know

• Bring snacks, sunscreen, cash and any medicines from town.
• A headtorch is useful for walking at night.
• Reef shoes protect your feet on the rocky entry points.